Sunday, July 21, 2013

My name is Kasia Szremski, I'm a Ph.D. candidate in anthropology at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, and now on site in rural Peru for an excavation related to a project to study how and why some ancient Andean societies shared limited resources peacefully whereas other groups resorted to violence. I'm turning to crowdfunding to support the final phase of the project. The outcome of this research could one day be applied to conflict regions in today's world. This project, which is the basis for my dissertation, began in 2008. I started out doing archaeological surveys in the Huanangue Valley in order to gain a broader perspective on regional geopolitics in my study area, and also to select sites for excavation. I then assembled a team of scientists and students and proceeded to dig for artifacts, which include seeds, ancient structures, pottery and even human remains. Throughout this research, I have endured mudslides, quicksand, flash floods, and even run-ins with vipers and tarantulas!I expect to finish my dissertation by May 2014. However, lack of funding may derail my plans. As sequestration hits, crowdfunding is being used increasingly by young scientists who have a hard time competing against their more established colleagues for traditional grants.You can learn more about the project on the science crowdfunding site Microryzahttps://www.microryza.com/projects/feasting-interaction-and-the-middle-ground-understanding-local-geopolitics-through-agricultural-production